The word is there is snow up at ABR, so it's time to start thinking cross-country skiing! Whether you've done 30+ Birkies, or you're planning on attempting your first this year, CyclovaXC would love to help you achieve all your skiing goals this winter.

If you're thinking of upgrading your ski equipment, please consider coming to the 2017 Cyclova team night on November 10th, 2017 starting at 6PM. We will be closing out select inventory and also placing orders for hand-selected equipment for you, so November 10th is the best time to get outfitted for the 2017-18 ski season!

Please RSVP (to help us get a head count for food and beverages) and share the Facebook Event with anyone you know who needs some skis!

Steve Edling, David Leske, and Duane Lee enjoy a sunny winter day on skis

6:40PM - 8PM: Cyclova XC Staff and reps from select ski vendors on hand to help Team Cyclova members with their race xc ski product needs.

SPECIAL DISCOUNTS:EXTRA SPECIALPRICINGon select products is available this one night only (no exceptions) - and you must be a Cyclova XC ski team member with Cyclova ski gear (ski suit or jacket) to qualify. Specific discounts and specials (up to 60% off of MSRP) will not be announced until this night at the event - and will include skis, poles, apparel and wax. Many of the specials will be a one time, special order, pre-paid basis only.

Note that the
team discounts offered at this one time team night are too steep to
publish, but know that discounts will be double the normal team discount
or greater - in short you don't want to miss out on this - and this is
the time to stock up for the season! We will require cash or check
payment to get these maximum discounts.

Not on the team? Know that WE WANT YOU!
We want you to be part of the most fun ski team out there! We
practically invented the concept of a "fun citizen ski team" - and we do
it well. Since day one,
Cyclova XC has simply been about HAVING FUN and BUILDING COMMUNITY
around our sports. Skiers of any level, any age, any gender, and with
ties from anywhere in our region are welcome - as long as your focus as a
skier is to have fun! To join the team simply contact us or stop by
the store and order yourself a ski suit or warm-up jacket!

This is just the start of a big weekend for CyclovaXC on Sunday, November 12th we have a big presentation:

Dan Maxon of Altra Footwear is coming for a tech talk. I'll be posing a follow up article with full details on this, but we expect him to arrive and discuss the new Altra running shoes we are now carrying at Cyclova. Anyone who is curious about the background of Altra shoes or the tech side of running will be interested in this presentation. Dan will arrive during regular business hours.

Come for one or both of the presentations! Again, I'll post more details on CyclovaXC soon!

I'm pretty excited about Jim Kelley's efforts to emphasize the "Run" in Cyclova's "Bike, Ski, Run" tagline! We've just received our first shipment of Altra running shoes. Altra has made a name for itself with their "zero drop" design, which means the heel and forefoot are at the same distance from the ground. According to Altra, this natural balance aligns the feet, back and body posture for less impact. It also strengthens the Achilles and lower calf muscles that have been weakened over a lifetime of running on elevated heels. And, it does this without sacrificing cushioning. For now, Cyclova is carrying the Lone Peak 3.5 for trails and the Escalante for the roads, and we can special order other models.

I brought a pair of these down for a special order in Eau Claire and I kept checking the box because it was so light I thought one of the shoes might be out on display (it wasn't). Pretty cool! If you've been curious about Altras or you're already a convert, please swing by and check out the selection at CyclovaXC!

The Keizer Lake fundraiser scheduled for Saturday has been moved to Sunday due to a foreboding forecast. I just talked to Dan Campion, and apparently there are 11 miles of trails out there to be played upon. Go out there and check it out this Sunday! For all the details click here!

Our friend Dan Campion sent me this information about what should be a really fun event up in Webster this weekend. Dan has been working very hard for the last few years to develop the Keizer Lake Trails, and the more options we have to ride, the better. This is a donation only fundraiser, so toss the bike into the truck, head up to Webster, and be ready for a great time! Please help share the Facebook event. For more details, check this flyer:

Bring your bike - old or new - into the ace mechanics at Cyclova XC this October, and enjoy a 25% off discount off a Major Tune Up!

While it's a wonderful time of year to enjoy riding your bicycle - many folks are either getting their fat bikes ready for Winter or putting their Summer bikes away for the Winter. Either way, NOW is the best time of year for a tune up. Get your Summer bike ready for next Spring or your Fat Bike ready for a great Winter! As far as Fat Bikes go, every day we are getting shipments of amazing new fat bike accessories, parts, and gear (from brands like 45NRTH, Bontrager, and Terenne) - the selection and availability will never be better!

Bring your bike in NOW to beat the rush and enjoy a 25% discount off of our most popular tune up package - the Major Tune Up! For the full scoop on our Major Tune Up and all of our other bike services, check out our Bike Service Page. This offer is good now through the end of October 2017.

** Offer valid 10/13/2017 - 10/31/2017. Discount only applies to Major Tune Up Charge, not to parts or other labor charges. Bring your bike(s) in for a free estimate.

Before you know it we'll be up to our neck in glorious SNOW! Isn't it wonderful! This is just a quick message to remind you all that the next price hike for the 2017 Solstice Chase is on October 15th, so register here now and SAVE!

As always, the field is limited to 300 participants, so register now to be sure to get your spot!

Our big announcement is that the 2017 race will still be on the Woolly groomed singletrack, but the start/finish area will be at the Trap Rock Brewing Company. This is a new brewery opening up in St. Croix that we're excited to let everyone know about. Riders should report to the following address on race morning:

We still have space for sponsors, so anyone interested in getting involved should contact Ben at bj@cyclovaxc.com. To check out our sponsorship packages, click here.

If you want to come and check out the area prior to the race, consider our FREE gravel ride: Beat the Dark! This is a 100 mile gravel ride on the Gandy Dancer trail the day that daylight savings time ends. The objective is to do the 100 miles before dark, but because it's an out and back course, riders can turn back whenever they wish. Be sure to check out the Facebook event here! We're looking to have around 100 riders for this so please spread the word!

If you're looking to upgrade your ride for the 2017-18 Fat Bike racing season, be sure to visit or call the experts over at CyclovaXC. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you and your business keeps the St. Croix cycling community rolling!

It's always great when one of our friends wins a major event. Through the years, Tammi Braund has emerged victorious on numerous occasions at the Gandy Dancer Trail marathon. On Saturday, October 7th, the torch was passed to Greg Atkinson who took the podium with a time of 3:03:52 and nearly a 30 minute advantage over 2nd place.

Greg is a regular participant and multiple series champion of our Sasquatch Dash runs, and he's always the first to shout out encouragement as you see him flying by you on the trail (maybe because he never seems to be out of breath). A couple years ago, Greg broke his collarbone at the Mammoth Gravel Classic, but was still out running only a few weeks later.

A few weeks ago, I rode with Greg and Steve Meyer during the first part of the Skull-n-Bones gravel challenge and Greg mentioned that he was hoping to have a good race up at the Gandy. Then Greg and Steve peeled off to finish the 100 mile course, Greg on a fat bike no less, as I happily elected to take the short route back home. Greg puts in a ton of work running and training in our area, and it's gratifying to see all that hard effort pay off. Winning a big marathon like this is a huge deal, so the next time you see Greg, make sure to congratulate him on a tremendous effort!

It's October again, and that means it's time to celebrate another anniversary of CyclovaXC! It's hard to believe it's been 6 years. The time has certainly gone by in a blur, but there are a lot of good memories which are always an indication of time well spent.

The best thing about being part of a bike, ski and adventure store is that you get the opportunity to meet a lot of happy, healthy, goal oriented people. Almost everyone who walks through our doors comes in with a smile, excited about some challenge they wish to conquer. When we first opened back in 2011, fat bikes were still a novelty, and gravel riding had just begun to take off. Now we see riders from the St. Croix Valley attempting world class endurance races all over the country.

Last year our local community came out and threw us a wonderful party to celebrate our first 5 years of operation. We're fully aware that as a little bike shop we will not be able to survive without strong ties to our local adventure community, and we enjoy doing everything we can to bring great events to our area.

As always, send us your adventure stories, send us your events and we'll help spread the word. Everybody needs a little epic in their life. Thanks for coming to us when you're looking for a bicycle. We really appreciate these last six years and we look forward to sharing your running, biking, and skiing adventures in the future!